The Hardangerjøkulen ice cap, Norway

Hardangerjøkulen is a plateau glacier in southern Norway and, with an area of about 64 km², it is the country’s sixth-largest glacier. It is rapidly retreating and projected to disappear before the end of the 21st century as a consequence of climate change.

This natural-colour image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 25 August 2026, shows the glacier at the end of the summer season.  Large areas of old glacier ice are exposed across the ice cap and along the glacier’s arms, where the seasonal snow cover has disappeared. The visible layers and structures within the ice are caused by snow which has accumulated and has been compacted over many years, providing a clear view of the glacier’s internal stratigraphy at the surface.

Copernicus Sentinel-2 data support the regular monitoring of glacier extent, snow cover, and surface conditions, contributing to research on glacier evolution and water resources.